I couldn’t possibly post today without making a list of all the things I find pleasantly tolerable in my life — you know things I don’t completely hate or whatever. Fine, fine. Things for which I am thankful. It is Thanksgiving, after all, and I do love lists.
Our new president-elect
Coffee, Diet Coke, wine, gum, and all the other substances that get me through the day
Good friends both near and far
Sane, supportive, and sensible family members
All the friendly folks of the internet who come by here and make my usual self-involved nonsense into something more like a conversation
A good job in a good department and the motivation and possibility to find an even better one
Sweatpants
This batch of double-chocolate chip cookies I just made
Healthy living (in spite of all the aforementioned)
The wealth of good books and good music that seems to have dropped into my lap lately
The finally completed sidewalk that now stretches the whole length of my street, making walks a thousand times more pleasant
The good students
I hope you are having a lovely Thanksgiving, wherever you are. I hope there is plenty of pie and wine. And while you’re here, if you wouldn’t mind: tell me what makes your Thanksgiving list this year!
Raveling Out 
Canada’s Thanksgiving was back in October, but I’ll throw a few things up anyways. My list is probably boring. Let’s see…
There’s the obvious:
* family
* for sure, sweatpants
* beer
* pumpkin pie (but I can’t find pumpkins in Europe)
* this blog and its ruler for the opportunity to post a list
* the interweb
* roof over head, possibility of career, etc…
And the more obscure and personal:
* the medical specialists in Switzerland
* my current advisors
* the FNSNF
* all the people and all the things that had to fall into place for me to be doing what I’m doing
And the cover:
* all the people and things not explicitly mentioned
We in the Antipodes don’t believe in giving thanks. I don’t know if it was the whole penal colony thang, or the brown snakes, or a culture of aggressive secularism (just nineteenth-century dissenting Protestantism in disguise, but that’s another story) – but we’re not a very grateful nation. It sounds nice, though, to spend a day counting your blessings.
I’m thankful for my family, especially my precious nieces and nephews who I’ll see in a week and change.
I’m thankful for my friends in [redacted] and my friends elsewhere.
I’m thankful that I finally got my driver’s license!
I’m thankful for art and movies and books that make my brain expand.
I’m thankful for my students, and for being surprised by them.
I’m thankful that my completely narcissistic “what I’m thankful for” speech at dinner yesterday got ignored by the more mature folks at the table.
Good contributions so far (except of course for the surly Antipodean of you who refuse to give thanks for things! Ha!).
G – Sorry, I had to redact your location for top-secret purposes!